Improved April sales figures may not translate into spending rebound

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Although many retailers reported improved April sales following a disastrous March, analysts cautioned Thursday that it's premature to declare a resurgence in consumer spending.

"It's false hope to think that these numbers show that a rebound is about to take place in consumer spending," said Ken Perkins, president of sales tracking firm Retail Metrics, adding that there are still too many "headwinds" constraining consumers' discretionary budgets.

Specifically, Perkins pointed to four months of job losses, record-high gas prices, higher food prices, tighter credit availability and declining home values as the primary culprits.

He estimated that sales at stores open at least a year - a key measure of retail performance - have averaged about 1 percent monthly growth so far this year.